If, looking out the window, you see how the sky is covered with lead clouds, and you can’t understand the reason for what happened, then there’s nothing to worry about. Perhaps you just need to fill in some of the knowledge gaps or refresh your memory so that you first know where the clouds come from. And then it will be clear to you whether they should be feared.
What are clouds
No matter how the clouds look in the sky, whether they are almost transparent, like a veil or impenetrable, like a lead cloud, they all consist of water. The fact is that when air is heated, moisture located on the surface of the earth takes on a gaseous state and rises up, where it condenses due to lower air temperature. However, there is one detail necessary for the formation of clouds - it is dust. Even at the beginning of the process of their formation, water molecules stick to its smallest particles, after which drops and ice crystals form, which in the future will be rain. Under favorable conditions for growth, the clouds gain volume, become heavier, fall lower and ultimately their contents fall out in the form of precipitation.
The height of the clouds can vary from 100 m from the Earth to 30 km, depending on weather conditions, climate and stage of their development. But they are formed precisely at an altitude of up to 14 km, between the upper layers of the troposphere and the surface of the Earth. The height at which the clouds only form and are located in the future depends on their type. To finally understand to which of them the so-called lead clouds belong, let us turn to their description.
Cloud Classification
Looking at the sky, you can see three types of clouds:
- Cirrus. As a rule, they are white in color, similar to huge ribbons, curved or straight, spreading across the sky. They are located at an altitude of 6-10 km, their thickness varies from 100 m to 2 km, and the structure is usually crystalline.
- Layered. The name speaks for itself, clouds of this type seem to be superimposed on each other in a neat layer, while they are often of different shades, which makes them even more beautiful. They are located at an altitude of 0.1-0.7 km, have a thickness of 0.2-0.8 km, mainly drip structure.
- Cumulus. They resemble large snow-white snowdrifts soaring high in the sky. Usually at an altitude of 800-1500 m, a width of 100 m to 2 km.
Often you can observe their combinations, such as cirrostratus, stratocumulus, etc. If your eyes fell on a lead cloud, then you probably already have a layered rain or cumulonimbus cloud. Perhaps it will rain soon.
The cause of the lead cloud
Everyone knows that there is a direct connection between the color of the clouds and their ability to rain. If a dark cloud appears on the horizon, then precipitation is likely to fall soon, and possibly accompanied by a thunderstorm. But sometimes the sight of lead clouds in the sky can truly amaze that even an adult will have a question about the reason for their appearance. In fact, they are no different from ordinary clouds. Just there were suitable conditions for their growth, after which, due to the large amount of moisture and density, they absolutely stopped transmitting sunlight and seem so frightening. Also, sometimes polluted air also affects, because of which a large amount of soot, dust gets into the composition of the clouds, and they become more black. And finally, with regard to the necessary conditions for the formation of a lead cloud:
- Instability of air mass rising up;
- The presence of warm and cold air (more common in late summer, spring and early fall).
And all that should be done when it appears is only to protect yourself from a lightning strike.